Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Honourable Prof. Biman Prasad, has paid tribute to the global contributions of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir during a visit to the temple in Canberra.
In his remarks, Prof. Prasad warmly thanked BAPS for opening a temple in Ba in 2023, describing it as “an important milestone for Fiji’s Hindu community.”
He noted that the origins of the BAPS movement in Gujarat represented the start of a new era of Hindu spirituality, one that has since spread worldwide through temples, schools, hospitals, and social initiatives serving people of all faiths.
The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted the historic and ongoing contributions of the Gujarati community to Fiji’s economy, politics, and religious life. Recalling the legacy of the late A.D. Patel, he said the National Federation Party was founded by “a Gujarati leader of great vision and courage.”
Prof. Prasad reflected on Fiji’s wider spiritual history, noting that the country’s faith traditions date back to the arrival of indentured labourers in 1879, who carried sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Quran with them. This, he said, ensured that “spiritual values remained at the heart of Fiji’s multicultural society.”
Congratulating the saints and devotees present, Prof. Prasad described the Mandir as
“not only a gift to Canberra, but to all who pass through it and find an opportunity to learn, reflect, and grow.”
He praised BAPS’ global mission to build spirituality, character, and human values, adding that its efforts had “enriched countless lives.”
Looking to the future, he welcomed plans for a similar temple in Suva, alongside a health and spiritual hospital.
“Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his Government welcome the construction of a state-of-the-art temple in Fiji modelled on Canberra’s Mandir, as it would be a source of pride, inspiration, and unity as well as attraction for Fiji,”
he affirmed.
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